Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-05-14

]"J "not you nave 70 say, Sa1lSI8, ana geIlI
over. You are come to pitch into me.
Very well, then"
"Oh, Dick, I do not come to reproach
do it!'
"Never mind that now. What else do you
want to says"
Have you confessed to your father,
Dickr'
mo. I haven't; what's the gooda Confess!
Why, do you take me for a fooli Confess to
him!'
"Dick, my old friend, there is another per-
son to think of besides yourself. There is
Norah."
What about Norahs Ny father knows
all by this time. But he hasn't got the
checks. Without the checks there is no
proof"
IF there are no proofs, come with me to
your father and tell him that Norah Is inno-
cent
What's the use. He knows it already"
Calista pointed to the p~ortmantsau.
You are going awayl' she said.
~ am going away altogether. You'll get
rid OF me, and never see me again. So now
you will all be happy"
Where are you goinga'
THAT is my business. You would like to
go and tell my father. wouldn't your
And how are you going to liver
Like the sparrows"
"Oh, Dick, you have in four head some
wild and wicked scheme. What does it
meant You are deceived and betrayed by
by your advisers-by this man. Consider,
Dick; no one knows except your father and
Norah and Hugh. l will leg your father to
forgive you. Nothing need ever be said
about it. All shall be forgotten, and we
will go on as il this dreadful time had never
happened-just as we did in the old days,
when we were boys and girls together, and
innocent-oh, Dick!-and ~innocentr
''Listen to this young lady, Dick,' said
the count, softly, 'and consider. There is
still plenty OF time to change your mind.
Consider what she says. You will have a
delightful time. Your father is never in an
ill-temper, is he! He looks and talks as If he
was the most indulgent of parents and of
the sweetest disposition. OF course h will
never remind you of this little indiscretion
never And he will trust you always-al-
ways. And he will advance you in his bust
ness and make you partner. And you will
always live in this delightful suburb, where
there is nothing! Heavenl nothingl Neither
theatre, nor cafe, nor society, nor amuse-
ment of any kind. As for your secret, it is
known to no n except three other people.
OF course they have told nobody; of course
they never will; 80 that there is no chance of
the story being told abroad. and people will
not point fingers at you, and say, There Is
the man who forged his fathers name, but
repcntel and cane back again, and was for
given! What a beautiful thing it will be,
all your life, to feel that you nave been so
bad, and that everybody else is so good!'
"Oh, no-noI said Calista 1T will not
be SO, Dick; it will not"
II have considered" Dick cried; II nave
made up my mind"
"And there is the office boy, too, who
found the last of the checks and put to-
gether those bits of paper. He will hold his
tongue, too, Of course. Consider well, Dick.
You will live despised and suspected. Bah!
To be a young mar forgiven! The forgive
ness will be a ticket-of-leave; the return to
work will be under surveillance of the
police. You can never get promotion; you
can never live down the past. Young lady,
is not this trueT'
Calista hesitated; then she took courage.
Better this, better obscurity and con-
tempt, than a life of wickedness. What is
he to dos What do you yourself do, You
play cards. Do you play honestly7 Better
the most humble life"
Matter Of opinion, mademoiselle. If he
goes with me, I offer him-whatl He
knows very we'll that at least he will enjoy
an easy life and profitable work, with plenty
of money in 1t, and society, and"
'Oh, Dick, it n be possiblel How
should this man give you all these things"
'Dick is a free man." said the Italian; she
is perfectly free. He can go with you or he
can come with me, just as ne pleases. un-
d~erstood that he had resolved to accept nv
offer, and to come with me. His portman-
teau is ready and packed, as you see. But
if he prefers
II do not prefer; l will go with you.
Go away, Calista! Repentance. Forgive
ness!'
"Then, Dids, if you must go, before you
do go l ask you for one simple act of JUS
tice. Write me a letter clearing Norah
altogether"
81 won't, then! After Norah's conduct to
me-"
Sir" said Calista, turning to the stran-
ger, you say that you are going to intro
duce Dick to the society Of gentlemen. [
do not quite understand how he is to take
his place among gentlemen. or what gentle
Germ. Will you. kindly tell these gentlemen
that this man made love to a girl whom he
had known al his life, and when she re-
fused him, charged her solemnly, and in
writing. with the crime which he a him
self committeds | suppose you care moth
ing about his having stolen the thing him.
selr'-Calista, in the satiric vein, surprised
herself-but perhaps" y
II have forgiven him, young lady" the
count interrupted with q smile. Il have
fathers, and / have already forgiven him"
"But, at least" she went on, regardless,
you may have manliness enough left to
blame him for accusing this innocent girl.
She is my sister. and once his friend. viii
you Join him in making all that girls future
know, and I know, and her lover knows, the
truth. This wretched boy has left behind
him a paper to which his father clings as a
kind of last chance that his son is not guilty,
after ALL"
Dick laughed aloud, and cali'ta shud-
II think, " said the count, gravsly. "that
II I were our young friend here, I should sit
down and write a letter Withdrawing the
document in question"
whats the goodT' said Dick. "Of course b
knows the truth by this time"
"Ishould write a short letter, simply stating that
this young lady-who must be charming indeed to
have diverted our friends attention from his cards
ia perfectly innocent. Our friend thus forgiven
by you mademoiselle, and by me-presumabiy also
by his father-and, we hope. by the young lady CON
cerned with himself In the matter, will embark
upon his new career with a clear conscience. such as
you English love to possess, and a light heart, and
an utter freedom from anxiety as TO inquiry by de-
tectives or unpleasant messages"
mo one will inquire, I am sure; no one will send
any detectives after him. I Think I can promise that.
As for the money. Dick, Hugh sends me word that
he will repay the whole for you"
Dick followed up. SO to speak, a sort Of prayer or
aspiration concerning the destruction Of Hugh But
he was well 4 ware that the repayment Of the money
was about the best way Of securing himself from
pursuit
Come" said the count, write. my friend-wr1te